Improvement in handcuffs



R. H. DALEY.

Handcuffs.

No. 222,252. Patented Dec. 2, 1879.

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UNITEDSTATES PATENT Orrron ROBERT H. DALEY, OF NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HANDCUFFS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,252, dated December 2, 1879; application filed May 31, 1879.

' the construction of prisoners handcuffs and shackles. It has for its object to provide a stronger and more certain means of securing and locking the parts together, so that they cannot be tampered with and improperly loosened; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the devices employed, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings herein referred to, Figure l is a view of my improved construction of handcuff, with the outside portion around the lock broken away to expose the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail view, showing the jaws of the lock in work- Fig. 3, shows the same .parts when thrown open by the key to release the curved end of the hinged part. Fig. 4 shows parts of thelock in detail, and Fig. 5 a detail view of the spring-jaws and the ratchetteeth of the curved bar.

A is the bar of the handcuff, with the lock situated in its upper end, and through which the curved end of the other part works, and B is the part hinged thereto at a. These parts are of the usual shape. The teeth, to engage with the bolt or other part of the lockin g mechanism, are placed on the side surface or face of the curved end, instead of in the under surface or edge.

Two of such ratchets, O O, are formed on this sliding end of the part B. They work through-the opening I), and pass between, and. are embraced by, the jaws D D of the holding-bar D. The end of this bar rests in a socket 'in the top of the bar A, but is not confined therein, and the lateral faces of the jaws D are made tapering or wider at the front than at the rear side, to conform to the slant of the ratchetteeth and hug them more closely. This is seen at Fig.5.

The upper ends of the jaws D move freely in sockets in the head of the bar A, and between them is located a pivoted double eccentric tumbler, c, which is held inposition by the action of the disk 61 and the spring 0 beneath it, the disk having pins f f, that take into holes g g in the tumbler, after the manner of similar pin-and'disk locks.

The holes 1 g in the tumbler are situated at right angles to or out of line with the keyslot h, so that they cannot bereached from the outside, and the eccentric cis thrown around to spread the jaws D by the action of the key X.

When first inserted in the slot h, thekey is turned around until it slips into and engages with the hole 9 g, and it is then pressed down and turned at the same time, to push back. the pins f and throw the tumbler into position to bring the wide parts against and spread the jaws D. r

In this position the ratchets are clear of the springs, and the curved end can be drawn out. At such time,also, the act of turning back the key to remove it sets the look back into working position, and leaves the jaws D free to spring back when the ratchets are pushed in to close the handcuff. Thus the lock is self -acting in closing up the parts A B.

The bar carrying the jaws D being loosely held in the socket, they cannot be disengaged from the ratchet-teeth, and the bar slipped back by pounding or knocking upon the end of the handculi", and such means, now resorted to by prisoners to loosen their fetters, are of no avail in affecting my improved lock.

The lock also cannot be reached or injured in any way from the outside, and the parts can be made strong and durable, and able to stand long usage.

'Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' The prisoners handcuff or fetters herein described, consisting of the bar D, held loosely in the socket in the bar A, and having springjaws D D, with flaring hearing-surfaces, the have hereunto set my hand and seal this 12th eccentric or tumbler 0, arranged between said day of May, 1879. jaws, disk (I, spring 0, pinsff, curved bar B, provided with notches c, all combined and ROBERT DALDX' arranged in the manner and for the purpose \Vitnesses: specified. O. W. M. SMITH,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I E. MCOLAIN. 

